Time for the Yearly Sendoff! /// Music Monday #92

It feels insanely weird that I'm already writing up the last Music Monday post of 2020. That means a week from now, the next Music Monday Awards begin. I thought I was just doing the last one, and now all of a sudden, I'm going to be writing them again??? Crazy.

Our sendoff for the year is none other than . . .

"Utsukushiki Zankoku na Sekai" from the album Couleur

Performed by Yoko Hikasa

The first ending theme of Attack on Titan (used in the first half of S1), the title translates to, "Beautiful Cruel World." Random fact for anyone interested, sekai is the Japanese word for world. It's pronounced say-kai (or ki with a long i sound, if that helps). Anyway, I figured a title like that would be appropriate for a final song for 2020.

There's so much I love about this song. First off, it might still be my favorite ending theme for AoT. Then there's her voice; it's somehow super beautiful and gentle, yet really powerful at the same time. She's talented, for sure. She also happens to a voice actress, by the way! She even plays a minor-but-still-important role in AoT. There's also the instrumentation. I can't tell what all was used--I hear piano, standard drumkit, electric, strings of some sort, and some kind of brass--but the way it all flows together is the perfect combination of orchestral and more "modern" sounding music. Then add her voice on top of that, and it becomes heavenly.

As for the lyrics, I've taken the liberty of finding and sharing them with you:

Your dream is where your heart is

It’s something more fragile than life itself

No matter how many times you throw it away, you still find it

So rest in peace now

Your wish is violated by your pulsing urge

and as much as you forget about it, you recall it again

In this beautiful and cruel world

We only ask “why” we’re still alive…

Ah, what are we going to protect

with our strength and weakness? If reason

no longer exists

That sky looks sad

Ashes and mirages rise up

You freeze in warm words

So rest in secret now

Your grief is hidden by fantasies sticking to you

and as much as it tears apart, it joins back together again

In this beautiful and cruel world

We only beg for death to “wait”…

Ah, we’re flightless weathercocks

We don’t know if the truth

is more beautiful than lies or not

If we are songs

Then we’ll raise the flags to that wind

and just send hope to someone

without hesitation, if only…

In this beautiful and cruel world

We only ask “why” we’re still alive…

Ah, what are we going to protect

with our strength and weakness? If reason

no longer exists

They're very interesting lyrics, ones that somehow manage to make the song even better once you know them. But the first main chorus, used again at the end of the song, are what stick out most to me.

Let's be honest: life often gives us plenty enough reasons to consider the world cruel, but 2020 has multiplied that. Yet even when our world is like this, I for one can still find more reasons to consider it beautiful. And I think that once you discover the "why" of your life, that is truly when things begin to look beautiful. This truly might seem like an era where reason is non-existent, but my "whys" for living are not attached to something arguable like reason. My "whys" are attached to strong, pure emotions, like my love for my wonderful family and my dearest friends; they're attached to the passions of my heart, my dreams for my life and my future; and they're attached to my faith, my earnest desire to pursue Christ and become more like Him.

When you understand why you live, you understand what you will protect with all of your strengths and despite all of your weaknesses. There is always a "why" for every life. Never forget that, even if you haven't found yours yet. Never forget that there is always beauty to be found around you, even if everything feels terribly cruel.

And never forget that you are loved, treasured, valued, precious, destined for great exploits, made for fantastic adventures . . . and never alone. That is why you should live.

What did you think of the song and its lyrics? Do you know your "why?" Let Misaka's words from Attack on Titan be a reminder for you: "This world is cruel, but it's also beautiful." You get to choose which aspect you focus on.

Still the Prince of Peace

Wow, I'm posting a day early? What kind of sorcery has bewitched me??? Well, I like to call it the sorcery of being prompt! (Not really, but it's for the sake of the joke, okay?) After all, no one's really going to be checking my blog on Christmas Day--or at least, you shouldn't. Either way, this one is going to probably be a bit shorter, 'cuz festivities, y'know.

source

You may recall that back in Christmas of 2017, which was indeed ages ago even though it's only been three years, I made a post simply titled, "The Prince of Peace." I have definitely improved in my writing skills since then, but even so, the message is good. Which is why I felt it was a good topic to bring up again this year.

In that post, I talked about the Hebrew word for peace, which is shalom. Shalom is a Jewish greeting that sounds like you're blessing the other person, for shalom is far more than just peace. It's a perfect wholeness that covers everything from your health in all areas to prosperity, both spiritual and physical, and many other things. And Jesus is the Prince of that good shalom peace.

Isaiah 9:6 in the Voice translation reads, "Hope of all hopes, dream of our dreams, a child is born, sweet-breathed; a son is given to us: a living gift. And even now, with tiny features and dewy hair, He is great. The power of leadership, and the weight of authority, will rest on His shoulders. His name? His name we’ll know in many ways—He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Dear Father everlasting, ever-present never-failing, Master of Wholeness, Prince of Peace." This is such an awe-inspiring, breathtaking image of Jesus. He is great from birth to death, from resurrection to ascension, now and forever. I love the titles Master of Wholeness and Prince of Peace. It lets you know exactly what He is, and how in Him, there is no lack.

For a lot of people, this year has been nothing but anxiety and stress for them--in other words, a year of fear. But that is not what Jesus desires for us. He says in John 10:10 (The Message), "A thief is only there to kill and steal and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) adds, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (And please, don't take this as me bashing you if you've felt anxious or worried this year. Both Jesus and I understand that we're only human, and we don't judge you for that. Just know that He wants things to be better for you.)

During any difficult situation or circumstance, Jesus is still the Prince of Peace. As I mentioned in my old post, this title for Him seems to be used only during Christmas . . . but why? His peace is for you every day of your entire life. With how much life has changed in 2020, some might be tempted to think that everything is bound to change. But that's simply not true. Hebrews 13:8 (NLT) confirms this: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Jesus is the one thing in your life that's guaranteed to never, ever change. I know I needed His unchanging, steadfast anchor in my life this year, and He knew that too. That's why the Bible says what it does, to remind us of how faithful He is, how He's always with us and will never leave.

So you can trust Him when He says that He is the Master of Wholeness and the Prince of Peace. As the last week of the year unfolds, I encourage you to take the time to meditate and reflect on this promise. Christmas seems to be a good time to do this, as it serves as a reminder of why Jesus was born in this broken world: to offer a beautiful exchange, in which He would bear all of our mistakes, our struggles, our fears and give us all of the benefits of being a child of God.

As cheesy as it may sound, that is honestly the most wonderful gift we will ever receive. I'm eternally grateful for what Jesus has done for me.

Merry Christmas to you! May you be filled with the perfect shalom that Jesus offers, and may this season be one of joy, love, and laughter.

Embracing the Cold /// Music Monday #91

So not only is it Music Monday, but it's also December, which can mean one thing: it's time for some more wintery music!

For our listening selection today, we have . . .

"Snowy" from Undertale

Composed by Toby Fox

This one is just a really chill song (see what I did there?). It's simple, yet nothing short of beautiful. To think that such a pretty music is just piano and cello . . . actually, yeah, that makes sense as to why it's so pretty. If you've seen any of the Piano Guys' stuff, you know it's a wonderful combination. This song is no exception.

I always love it when music somehow manages to convey a temperature. Like, a lot of desert themes in video games sound warm and evoke the feeling of sweating under the blazing sun, grains of sand whipping past you when a wind arises. In the same, a lot of snowy themes sound as if you're in a cold environment, boots crunching in the snow while flakes drift down all around you. Maybe it's the instrument choice that gives off the vibe, and there are certain instruments we associate with different seasons or video game biomes/worlds or whatever. Who knows?

I don't know about you, but this song makes me even more excited for Christmas. It's always one of the my favorite times of any year. Though it might be cold inside, it's warm inside your home and your heart. I love how my family comes together to just relax and enjoy time spent with one another. There's so much peace and joy and love, and my heart is at ease.

I also know that there are some people who may hate this time of year because it's the exact opposite of that. Christmas is horrible to them because it reminds them how alone they are, or maybe of what they've lost or how they've suffered. If you know anyone like that, reach out to them and let them know just how loved and precious they really are--especially this year when people have been forced to be alone and isolate from others. It's not healthy. We were not made to be that way. Hopefully we can reach out to others and make their Christmas, their lives, that much brighter. It's what Jesus wants us to do, just as He made our lives so much better and brighter than His birth and sacrifice.

What'd do you think of the song, despite it being on the shorter side? Do you like winter and/or Christmas? What're your favorite things to do this time of year?

Monthly HapPENings: December

GUYS. HOW IS THERE ONLY ONE MONTH LEFT IN THE YEAR???

Sorry, didn't mean to freak out there, BUT SERIOUSLY! I mean, I want 2020 to be over, but it's still crazy that it's almost reached the end.

Obviously, with how things are going these days, my life wasn't too crazy or anything. Besides work, two of my sisters had birthdays, so we celebrated those! Other than that . . . well . . . there wasn't anything else that happened. No surprise there.

Bookish HapPENings

I didn't finish any books in November, but I have been reading some more lately! I've really been getting into my book, so I hope that I'll finish at least a couple of books in December.

HapPENings on the Screen

So at work, with how few people we're supporting right now, our management has allowed us to watch movies in our departments. One of my coworkers happened to have a projector, so we've watched a lot of films, such as Up, Coco, Bambi, Oliver and Company, The Grinch (2018), Alpha and Omega, Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2, and others. A few I'd never seen before, but most of them were just reminders that I loved them and I need to watch them more often. Aside from that . . .

YO! I started watching Bungo Stray Dogs because the trailer looked super interesting, and this show is FIRE. It's probably one of my favorite anime now--though to be fair, I've loved all of the anime I've seen so far. This one's about a group called the Armed Detective Agency, whose members wield supernatural powers that they use to fight crime and save civilians. It's basically a perfect blend of action, drama, and comedy. I love the main character, Atsushi, and his character arc of becoming a hero over the course of S1. Dazai and Kunikida's relationship is one of the greatest and most hilarious parts of the show so far. Plus, Akutagawa is a very cool, intense antagonist who seems to have more to him than meets the eye. I just love it all so much!

Fire Force continues to be heckin' dope as well. As of when I'm writing this, I have two episodes left in S1. Some answers are finally being given, but it seems information is mostly on the enemy's side. One thing the show is really good at is giving us intriguing villains. They've introduced a lot of really neat ones lately, even if they're a bit more minor than some of the others. I'm really curious to see how it's all going to go down, because at this rate, it's not gonna end well.

I'm nearly done watching S3 of Attack on Titan with Preston, and I've just started watching it with Chloe and Kaitlyn. It's just so, so excellent in every way imaginable. I don't think I could really choose a favorite season, but if I was forced to, it might be this one . . .? It's really hard to say. Honestly, if you're sleeping on this show, you really are missing out. I don't regret a single second I've spent watching it.

Gaming HapPENings

Super Mario Odyssey is a game I've been playing a good bit recently, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. The graphics are killer, not gonna lie. I'm constantly in awe of how amazing everything looks, from the grand worlds down to the threads and stitching in clothes. I feel like I'm probably over halfway through world-wise (not in terms of actual completion), possibly more. It's definitely been a nice variety, even if there are still some similarities to classic Mario world themes.

I've just started playing Fall Guys, and I think it's safe to say that I'm already addicted. Think of a battle royale game in the style of minigames from the Mario Party series. It can be absolute insanity sometimes, but it's so fun. Even though it's competitive, it doesn't make me frustrated or anything--not yet, at least. I'm just having a blast! I'm not even all that bad at it. Just watch, one day I'll be a professional Fall Guys player! (Probably not, but one can dream.)

Writerly HapPENings

Who woulda thunk? I didn't any writing in November. I really didn't want to participate in NaNo, especially this year. I've occasionally thought about writing about something for Havok, but I haven't thought about it too much. I'm really hoping that 2021 is just better for everything.

So that's that! Was your November any more interesting than mine? Have you been doing things to keep your mental health in a good place? Are you looking forward to Christmas? (I certainly am!)